When the words Hakuna Matata grace the floor in a home, you know that the family residing in it is one you want to meet—and, that their interior designer is someone you’d want to work with, too. I met MaryJo Anderson (the owner of today’s home) on good ol’ IG, a few years ago when we moved close to the Newburyport area. During this time, I also discovered her interior designer Katie Goodrich of Ivory & Bone Interiors. I feel grateful to know both of these women as local friends and have enjoyed watching their designer/client relationship grow over the years, with today’s beautiful home tour as the result. Katie is diving into their treasured relationship below, along with imagery captured by the talented Kate of Freebird Photography.

From Katie Goodrich of Ivory & Bone Interiors… As I tell my clients, everyone has his or her own style.  As a designer, it’s my job to identify it, envision it, amplify it, and then bring that style to life. However, there comes a time in every designer’s career when they have the privilege to come across what I like to call, their “Decorating Doppelgänger.” For those of you who aren’t familiar with this German phenomenon, a Doppelgänger is defined as one’s counterpart in a living person. More than three years ago, I was lucky enough to meet mine.  

MaryJo Anderson was my first client. She liked my home and said, “Hey you should design for a living! Start with my house!” She took a risk on me and it was, fortunately, a match made in Red Bird (that’s a Newburyport store joke;). Yes, Mary Jo is my client but it’s definitely a simpatico partnership.

Aside from sharing the same style (minus a few tweaks, she likes clean-lines while I like antiques!), I credit another commonality that makes us true decorating doppelgängers. No matter how much we adore beautiful objects, we share the same mindset: the most important thing about a home is who we share it with.

Whether it was their modest urban apartment, their charming seaside boathouse, or now, a grand Nantucket-style home, the Andersons possess a fabulous yet grounded way of life. It’s a sort of chic but casual lifestyle that’s beautiful in its own contradiction.

For example, as I’ve walked through the front door of each home, the same backdrop comforts me. The kids run wild and crack up while jazz music crackles in the background. A humorous florescent portrait of their dog is a fun juxtaposition to their cozy linen sofa. We drink Coors Lite in koozies with fancy cheeses on a marble cutting board. It’s these conflicting scenes that make their house truly a home and better yet, interesting!

The best part? That front door behind me never really closes. It’s constantly revolving, welcoming different friends and family with open arms. MaryJo creates the type of home that is aesthetically stunning yet her guests feel comfortable enough to raid the fridge. Everything is chic but nothing is forbidden. This task is a hard balance to achieve and Mary walks that tight rope beautifully.

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When I’m in the Anderson home, I can’t help but feel a sense of pride. Not because of our collective work but I’m proud of my very own Doppelgänger. She has created her dream home that reflects the life, family, and loved ones that she holds the highest in her heart. So, as Mary Jo says, “Come on in!”